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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-09-13 Board of Library Trustees MinutesTown of Reading Meeting Minutes Board - committee - commission - council: Board of Library Trustees Date: 2021-09-13 Building: Reading Public Library Address: 64 Middlesex Avenue Purpose: General Meeting Attendees: Members - Present: Time: 7:00 PM RECEIVED TOWN CLERK RF19H G. MA. 2021 OCT 220 PM 12:23 Location: Community Room Session: Open Session Version: Final Chair; Nina Pennacchio, Chair; Monette Verrier, Vice -Chair; Cherrie Dubois; John Brzezenski; Monique Pillow Gnanaratnam Members - Not Present: Andrew Grimes, Secretary Others Present: Amy Lannon, Director; Michelle Filled, Assistant Director, Carlo Bacci, Selectboard Member Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Andrew Grimes, Secretary Topics of Discussion: Call to Order 7:07 PM Approval of Minutes from August 9, 2021 Motion: To approve the minutes with the corrections (Verrier/ Dubois) Vote: Approved 5-0 III. Public Comment No public comment. IV. Summer Reading Report: Ms. Lannon reported that the library had a great summer reading program with over 1,000 participants in all age groups. Programs were mainly funded with the Friends budget, although staff has been creative with programming ideas, finding new ways to do programs at little or no cost. Ms. Verrier noted that the Food Pantry was very appreciative of all the food donations collected as part of the program. V. Covid-19 Safety Protocols Discussion: Ms. Lannon reported that while the school committee voted for masks in schools, the Board of Health has not declared any town -wide mandate. There is no formal library policy, although staff requests masks are worn in the Children's room. Appointment - based services do not count towards the library's certification. The library wants to maintain complete and open service and recommends the Trustees reinstate the former mask policy that at minimum requires face coverings for children's programs. A safer approach would be to return to the full face -covering policy except for meeting room rentals, a service that was not available at the height of COVID. Individuals or groups Page 1 1 renting rooms would not be required to wear masks while in the meeting space. If the policy is reinstated, the next question is when the Trustees will rescind the policy. Ms. Dubois stated that because the staff wears masks, the public should also be required to wear masks. Ms. Verner agreed and said that she didn't want staff to have to monitor mask usage. Ms. Pennacchio also agreed, noting that at the Topsfield Library, they require masks and have a table at the entrance with masks available for the public. Ms. Gnanaratnam agreed, adding that the policy protects those staff members and visitors with family members who cannot be vaccinated or who have small children at home. Ms. Verner requested that a table be placed at the main entrance with masks for the public to use. Motion: To make a motion to adopt option A of the mask covering policy with the start date of Monday, September 20, with the edits made tonight. Vote: Approved 5-0 A. Tutoring Policy Review: Ms. Lannon stated that there are no updates or recommendations to the current Tutoring Policy. There have been no complaints or issues. VII. Space Review Update Ms. Pennacchio reported that the Trustees sent a letter to the Friends of the Reading Public Library stating that the library needs the Book Sale room to accommodate office space for the new Director of Equity and Social Justice position. The book sale room shelving will be reused in the storage room. They were offered a turret space for use and the use of some space in the storage room. Ms. Lannon reviewed two options for a new office for the Director of Equity and Social Justice (DESJ). The first option is to move the audiobooks to the current book sale room while adding a wall in the audiobook room where there is a window. The labor for building the new office would be internal, and materials costs could come from the gift from the Foundation. The second option would be to use the book sale room as the office and leave the audiobooks as is. Ms. Lannon reviewed shelving options for the turrets, which could cost up to $15,0000, but she also noted that additional shelving is always helpful and never wasted. Ms. Pennacchio asked about various uses of the book sale room, audiobook usage, and other space options. Ms. Dubois felt the Trustees need to carefully consider how the overall library space is used, including the area currently used by the Friends. Ms. Lannon confirmed that expanding the storage area will provide some additional space for the Friends. Ms. Pennacchio asked if shelving, shifting, and the building would happen all at once or in a staggered manner. Ms. Lannon said the process would be somewhat staggered but mainly determined by the availability of materials. Ms. Dubois asked 9 a recommendation had to be made immediately. Ms. Lannon said no. Ms. Dubois recommended the board review the options discussed and return in October to make some determinations or recommendations. VIII. FY22 Materials Expenditure Budget Presentation Ms. Lannon reported that COVID required the library to speed up the process for addressing digital versus physical collections. The collections are not one-for-one equivalent costs as electronic resources generally cost more than print options. Page 12 Based on the current municipal materials budget of $261,000, Ms. Lannon proposed to spend $255,250 on materials with the difference of $5,750 to be either returned to free cash or used to supplement other library expenses that were level -funded this year: Library Supplies, Office Supplies, Professional Development, Programming, or Technology. The library will also spend $4800 from gifts and trusts on materials to supplement the municipal budget. The library aims to deplete the materials expenditure budget by the 11'^ month of the fiscal year. However, that does not always happen. Unless otherwise directed, Ms. Lannon will likely use a similar formula that includes gifts and trust spending in developing the FY23 materials budget. IX. Financial Update: Based on recent discussions, Ms. Lannon anticipates an increase in the NOBLE membership fee for FY23 to be 1.8%. NOBLE has not increased the cost of membership since FY20. The library received donations in memory of Richard Pattison and Edand Anderson. The salary budget is low as the library has yet to hire a replacement Teen Librarian and the Director of Equity position. X. Director's Report a. August snapshot i) Physical circulation was a 7% increase over August 2019 ii) We are short on visitors because we don't have that many in-person programs. iii) New Patrons 128 iv) More than 450 people attended this year's Vehicle Day! vi) We had our first mobile tech support for homebound patrons. vii) One of the Staff Learning Community Group planned a Native and Wild Pollinator Garden, worked on the proposal, weeded strip, and planted cover crop seeds to enrich the soil. viii) Saturday, September 18: Pride Storytime with Drag Friends b. Personnel i) Effective August 30, Valerie Gould Heithaus was an internal promotion to Senior Library Associate — Borrower Services. Valerie's hours increased by 5 hours. ii) Meghan McCabe will be our new Teen Librarian. Her start date is September 27, 2021. We had 18 applicants. Ms. Lannon noted that with consideration of diversity and inclusion for this hire, the position did not require an MLS, but rather "MLS or equivalent experience." iii) As of September 13, we have received seven applications for the Director for Equity and Social Justice. There will be a small group to review the applications for potential interviews. The small group includes Matt Kraunelis, the Town ombudsman, Head of Human Resources, Sean Donahue, Monique Pillow Gnanaratnam, Josh Goldlust, and Amy Fang Lannon. c. Other Ms. Lannon met with Celeste Kracke from the Climate Advisory Committee about a community garden project with raised garden beds. The committee is looking for space and programming partners. The library is one possible space, but right now, Hunt Park is the most likely location for the garden. Page 1 3 Library staff is close to selecting a vendor for after-hours pickup lockers that can be installed under the overhang by the book drop. The library will not have to go out to bid as the companies are on the state bid list. Ms. Verner asked about the lockers and snow removal. The overhand in that location should protect the equipment from snowdrifts and rain. Adjournment: 8:25 p.m. Motion: To Adjourn (Dubois/Pennacchio) Vote: Approved 5-0 Respectfully Submitted, Nina Pennacchio, Chair to(ov" Page 1 4